Thursday, December 10, 2009

I think I might live to regret accidently turning off the automatic Dutch to English translator on the computer. Of course now everything is in Dutch and I can't figure out how to find the translator again! All my webpages are coming up in Dutch. Which is also puzzling since I am in Brussels and I'm pretty sure that the official language here is French?? At least that is what everyone speaks. Anyways......getting here was quite the event, as usual. Driving here is insane. We are staying about half a block from the Grand Place and traffic is a nightmare. We were driving down a one way street on the way in and a taxi in front of us stopped, then decided it no longer wanted to continue down the one way street. The lady taxi driver got out of the car and started motioning for everyone behind us to start backing up. WHAT?? Who does that? Sorry lady, go around the block!!! And that is exactly what I would have said if I had been able to communicate with her! Instead, she just started reversing until she was about to hit us and we had no choice but to try and get out of the way. Ugh. I just have to prepare myself when we come here because no matter how good of a mood Deaner is in when we reach the outskirts of the city, it will be gone by the time we reach our hotel.

We are not in our normal hotel this time but I can actually SEE the Marriott down the street from this hotel. We are staying at the Best Western Premier Carrefour De L'Europe. I think that is French for "not as nice as the Marriott down the street". Ha! This hotel is fine really but a small step down. However, I do have this view from where I am sitting right now.So I can't complain that much. I don't have my camera with me but apparently someone who stayed a few floors down from me during the summer did, and I was able to "borrow" it off the internet. I can actually see into the Grand Place and it is pretty cool. Also, right now there is a Christmas Market going on in the little square directly below our room.

I can almost taste the Chi-Chi's margaritas that I will be enjoying tonight! Now if Deaner would only get home from work. I shouldn't complain too much since it is only 3pm but happy hour starts at 5 around here! :) Ok, I am off to catch a few episodes of Gene Simmons Family Jewels before our outing! Happy Thursday to everyone!